Insomnia is when you experience disruptions in how you feel or function because you are not sleeping well or sleeping enough. Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder. In fact, research has shown that roughly 1 in 3 adults worldwide have insomnia symptoms, and roughly 10% of adults meet the criteria for insomnia disorder. Insomnia is typically characterized by difficulties in falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early and failing to fall back asleep.
Insomnia can lead to many physical and mental health problems, from fatigue to mood problems. There are many factors that can contribute to insomnia, but getting to the root cause of your insomnia problems is essential for effective treatment and sleep disorder management. One of the primary culprits of insomnia is anxiety and stress. The pressures of life, from work troubles to relationship issues, can cause your body and mind to enter a heightened state of alertness where it becomes difficult to relax and get ready for sleep.
By identifying the main cause of insomnia, you can be better positioned to make lifestyle changes and seek treatment options to restore peaceful sleep!
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
Why can’t I sleep even though I am tired?
Feeling tired but being unable to sleep can be frustrating to say the least. It may leave you wondering why your body will not cooperate when you mentally feel so ready for rest. With insomnia, many of the factors that make it hard to sleep are rooted to things that impact your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Different things, such as stress, lifestyle habits, or even medical issues that override your body’s signals for rest even though you may be experiencing extreme fatigue.
Stress and anxiety are some of the leading causes of sleeplessness. When you experience stress, your body may release a stress hormone, such as cortisol, which keeps you alerted and ready for action. This sort of stress hormone response can be useful in the short-term but, when evening time comes and this is still lingering, it is not helpful. Even when you are physically tired, racing thoughts, worries, and feelings can make it hard to switch your mind off. For many people with insomnia, the quietness of your sleeping space can actually magnify anxious thoughts related to sleep, preventing the relaxation that is needed for good sleep. To learn more about this, check out our blog “3 Ways to Relieve Sleep Anxiety.”
Lifestyle factors, especially those around bedtime, can cause a mismatch between fatigue and sleep. For example, the use of screens, like phones, tablets, or laptops, emits blue light to the brain which makes your brain think that it is still daytime. This actually suppresses melatonin, a hormone that signals sleep.
Additionally, consuming caffeine or heavy meals close to bedtime can stimulate your body instead of winding it down before a period of rest. This can make sleep difficult to attain even though you feel tired.
Several lifestyle habits can interfere with quality sleep, such as:
Irregular sleep schedule
Caffeine intake in the afternoon or evening
Screen time before bed (Check out our blog “Do I Have A Social Media Addiction?”)
Lack of physical activity (Read our blog “5 Ways Exercise Benefits Your Mental Health”)
Consuming alcohol before bed
Heavy meals or spicy foods before bed
Napping too long or late in the day
Using bed for activities other than sleep (e.g., working from bed, etc.)
Engaging in stimulating activities before bed (e.g., working out right before bed, etc.)
Exposure to artificial light in the evening
Even smaller things, such as the room temperature or noise, can prevent a tired person from falling asleep. You need a sleep environment that is conducive to proper rest. To learn more about this topic, read our blog “Unlocking the Secrets of Quality Sleep: A Therapist’s Perspective on Sleep Hygiene and Insomnia.”
Finally, there could be underlying health conditions at play, like insomnia, sleep apnea, and other hormonal imbalances, which can make it hard to sleep, even when you are really tired. Insomnia can actually create a pattern where your brain becomes “conditioned” to associate bedtime with the frustration of not being able to fall asleep. This alone can create a mental barrier to adequate sleep.
On the same page, sleep apnea disrupts breathing during the night which interferes with your ability to achieve deep sleep. Even after hours in bed, those with sleep apnea can wake up feeling not well-rested.
In some cases, addressing root cause issues requires medical intervention to bridge the gap between restfulness and tiredness.
How can I know if I have insomnia?
If night after night you find yourself lying awake, you may be wondering if you have insomnia. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder where it is hard to initiate or maintain sleep, even when you have a clear opportunity for sleep. People with insomnia have a wide range of symptoms, including daytime fatigue, mood disturbances, and hardships with concentration, which can impact your work, the relationships in your life, and general well-being. Insomnia comes in unique types and symptoms and, by learning about them, you can determine if you are experiencing the condition or not.
There are two general categories of insomnia- short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic). Acute insomnia can last a few days to several weeks and may be connected to specific stressors or life transitions, such as a major life change, illness, or a change in your routine.
On the other hand, chronic insomnia persists for at least three nights a week for three months or longer. Chronic insomnia is usually caused from a combination of physical or mental health conditions, lifestyle factors, and stress.
Insomnia symptoms can vary from person to person, but here are some of the key symptoms associated with insomnia:
Difficulty falling asleep
Troubling staying asleep
Waking up too early
Daytime fatigue or sleepiness
Mood changes
Difficulty concentrating or remembering information
Increased worry about sleep
Physical symptoms (e.g., headaches, tension, upset stomach, etc.)
One of the biggest things to consider with insomnia is how it impacts your daytime life. Everyone experiences occasional poor sleep from time to time, but insomnia frequently bleeds into your daytime life as well. Do you feel irritable throughout the day? Is it hard to focus at work or at school? Do you constantly feel fatigued?
If you constantly feel drained or like you are nodding off during the day, these are all signs that your sleep is being impacted and the struggle is way beyond just a few poor, sleepless nights. If you have other health conditions, it is important to know that insomnia can negatively impact that as well. Therefore, pinpointing insomnia early is important for not only managing your sleep, but managing your overall health as well.
If you are unsure if you have insomnia or not, there are some steps you can take to better understand your sleep patterns and identify possible symptoms.
Track your sleep patterns
For one to two weeks, try keeping a sleep diary. You may want to record details on what time you go to bed, how long it takes you to fall asleep, how many times you wake up, and what time you wake up in the morning. You can also take note of other important information such as if and when you nap, caffeine intake, alcohol intake, late-night phone or computer usage, and so on as these factors can impact sleep. Over time, this information will help you observe sleep patterns and pinpoint potential problems.
Evaluate daytime symptoms
Contrary to popular belief, insomnia is not reserved for just evenings- it impacts your daytime life as well. Whether you feel tired throughout the day or extra irritable, these are things that should be reflected on. Poor quality sleep can also impact cognitive and emotional functioning.
Look for consistent sleep problems
Try to differentiate your situation from acute insomnia or chronic insomnia. If sleep troubles persist for at least three nights a week for one or more months, you may be experiencing long-term insomnia. Short-term sleep issues may appear for a few days or weeks, usually due to temporary stress or changes to your usual environment. As the name suggests, chronic insomnia tends to be ongoing and can arise from a combination of things, such as stress, lifestyle habits, and health issues.
Consider possible underlying issues
Insomnia is often related to other factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression, physical pain, and so on. Being able to pick out contributing factors that can help you get to the root cause of your sleep troubles is important.
Consult a healthcare provider
If your symptoms resonate with the signs and symptoms of insomnia, you may want to talk to a healthcare provider or sleep specialist at Anchor Therapy. By working with a therapist for insomnia, you can assess your symptoms, learn how to manage your triggers, and adopt approaches to improve your sleep quality.
A healthcare specialist for insomnia may ask questions about your sleep habits, lifestyle, and health history. They can also determine what type of therapy and/or lifestyle adjustments will best suit your unique needs. To learn more about insomnia treatment options, check out our blog “How CBT Can Help With Your Insomnia.”
What age does insomnia start?
Believe it or not, insomnia can start at almost any age! With that being said, there are certain life stages and ages that may make some people more susceptible to insomnia.
Here is a breakdown of when insomnia may begin and what factors contribute to its onset at different ages:
Childhood and adolescence - Insomnia is often less common in children and teens; however, that does not mean that it cannot occur. Insomnia can occur in this population if a child or teen experiences disruptions in their routine, irregular sleep schedules, or anxiety. During adolescence, insomnia can specifically occur due to changes in sleep patterns, social pressures, and the use of electronics before bed.
Young adults (20s and 30s) - Many people begin to experience insomnia during young adulthood, often due to relationship issues, financial woes, and career-related stress. Lifestyle habits may also contribute to insomnia, such as increased caffeine or alcohol consumption. Mental health conditions, like anxiety and/or depression, are often diagnosed during these years which can be linked to insomnia.
Middle ages (40s and 50s) - Many familial and health stressors may emerge during this time period. Women specifically can experience changes in sleep around menopause due to hormonal shifts which can increase the risk for insomnia.
Older adults (60s and up) - Insomnia is common amongst older adults. Aging alone can bring about many sleep-related issues. Health conditions and the medicines used to manage those health conditions can also interfere with good, quality sleep. Older adults also experience a decrease in melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep. This can make it harder to fall and stay asleep.
As mentioned before, insomnia can occur at any age as there are different factors that influence sleep at each life stage. Addressing age-related concerns related to insomnia can help you manage and reduce its impact over time.
In today’s fast paced world, it can be hard to achieve good quality sleep. In fact, it has become so difficult that insomnia has become one of the most common sleep disorders in the world. Poor sleep can impact many things, including your energy levels and mood. It can also have a profound effect on your mental and physical health. However, in recent years, there has been a growing awareness around insomnia which leads insomnia experts to greater understand its root causes, symptoms, and triggers. Therefore, there are effective methods you can place in your life to achieve healthier sleep habits!
If you find yourself constantly struggling with sleepless nights, rest assured that you are not alone. Millions of other people have faced the same issue you are currently going through and, with professional support, you can restore proper life back into your life. From lifestyle adjustments to seeking help for underlying mental health conditions, there are numerous paths you can take to overcome insomnia.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Community Engagement Director at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark and is currently studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media/community presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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